


and your eyes, they hide a thousand words

by ariphyll



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Acquaintances to Friends to Lovers, Arranged Marriage, M/M, Slow Burn, post-Revelations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-04
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-01-29 13:13:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12631770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariphyll/pseuds/ariphyll
Summary: Regardless of what may come, Takumi knew that going through with this marriage was the best option for Hoshido. He would get used to Nohr and King Xander in time, he would have to. No one could live with heavy longing and homesickness forever.





	1. Preface

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this first chapter sitting in my docs for months now. Perhaps if I post it I'll finally sit down and finish the next one.  
> (I'll finish this fic even if it kills me I swear.)
> 
> And hey, why not follow me on [tumblr](https://ariphyll.tumblr.com) or maybe my [twitter](https://twitter.com/ariphyll)? Or why not both - get me on every platform I'm on and watch as I help fill your feed with Fire Emblem.

Takumi had to remind himself over and over again as his carriage pulled him through the heart of Nohr why he was doing this. Why he was allowing himself to be whisked away to a bleak country and live under dark skies and clouds for the rest of his life. A political marriage is not something anyone wishes for, but it was his duty as a prince of Hoshido to do whatever was needed for his home.

It was clear that by the end of the war a marriage would be an extra facet needed to help cement the bonds between Hoshido and Nohr. Even if the two sides of Corrin’s army had come to a mild peace the rest of their countries still had heavy wounds to heal. Who better a choice for Nohr’s half of the marriage than King Xander himself?

When it came to Hoshido’s side however, it was a bit more difficult. Even if Ryoma hadn’t married during the war, acting for once on emotions rather than bleak rationale, wedding two kings together would be a dangerous arrangement. There was too much risk of tempted foul play and over-exerting power. So that left Takumi and his siblings to take up the empty role.

Hinoka was the first in line to be the marriage candidate and almost was for a short time. However, before the deal could be arranged Takumi had volunteered on impulse. Nothing about the prospect of marriage in Nohr thrilled him but it was no hidden fact that Hinoka only had eyes for women and the battlefield. It was only kind to spare her of a marriage keeping her trapped in Nohr, and Takumi wasn't going to try and pin it off on _Sakura_. It was a fair deal that the available sibling who was already dedicating himself to politics marry for it as well.

Even if the betrothal meant leaving his family and home for a make-shift Nohrian one. He would have to adjust eventually, right?

The journey to Castle Krakenburg was a slow process but Takumi wasn't going to cry about being a day or two late. Glancing across the small carriage he rode in, he watched his retainers doze together. He was grateful he could take them with him at least. Takumi didn't exactly have many close friends even at home, and that number was only going to drop while in Nohr. Everything about the situation seemed a little less bleak with his retainers there by his side though.

His wedding to King Xander would take place in two weeks once he arrived, and from then on Takumi would be officially tied to Nohr. There would be a ceremony in Hoshido a month or so later to celebrate his marriage, but after that he had no idea when he would see his home again. He could probably search out reasons to have to travel back there from time to time…

Takumi looked out the carriage window at the clouded sky. He would have to read up more on Nohrian weather and climate. _Surely_ everyone was exaggerating over how little raw sunlight they get? He knew of the country’s barren lands but he couldn’t see how people could survive in a place of near-constant darkness.

A yawn caught his attention and Takumi turned his head to see Oboro stretching in her seat.

“Comfortable?” Takumi asked, leaning back against the carriage wall.

“Upright isn’t my favorite sleeping position, but it could be worse,” she responded. “Want me to ask someone how much farther, milord?”

Takumi tilted his head to look out the window at an angle, trying to see ahead of them. “No, it's fine. I think I see looming walls so Windmire can’t be that far off.”

Oboro huffed, folding her arms. “Everything looks the same to me. Nohr isn't what I’d call the most colorful place.”

“Perhaps inside the walls it’ll be a bit more lively. It can’t all be so… dark.” Takumi paused, watching Oboro for a moment before turning his eyes back out. “You didn't need to stay in my service. I know Nohr holds no good memories for you, and even if you say most of your hatred has healed... I had offered to let you go before we left for a reason.”

“My answer is still the same as then, milord.” Oboro gave him a weary smile. “Even if Nohr is still- _unfavorable_ , I still swore to be your retainer. And there's… good people here. Even if it’s difficult to remember at times, there are.” Her smile grew brighter. “Besides, if I let just Hinata protect you you'll surely wind up hurt.”

Takumi huffed a small laugh. “I do feel better having you both here, that's for certain…”

A short silence passed between them before Oboro spoke up. “Are you nervous?”

“Depends, nervous over what?” Takumi kept his voice guarded and even. It would do no good to let his retainer know he was anxious over almost everything about the situation.

“Your _marriage_ ,” Oboro said. “King Xander isn't exactly a… Well, he doesn’t seem the most _personable_ man, milord.”

“Well it's good I'm not marrying him for personality, now am I?” Takumi said, evading the question. He didn’t bother on rebuking Oboro’s casual comments either. When they were alone, it was nice to just be friends. “He's at least just and cares for his country, I've been in enough war councils with him to know that. There's worse people I could end up marrying.”

Oboro stared at him, visibly trying to sift through his words. “I suppose you're right, milord, I apologize for bringing it up. Hopefully your marriage will be a peaceful one.”

Takumi nodded, dropping the conversation as fast as he could. The less discussion he had over his future wedlock the better. He much preferred to just ignore it until he couldn’t anymore.

It was getting easier to tell from the angle of his window that it was indeed Windmire they were headed towards. He could only guess how much longer until they reached the castle deep inside, but at least they were starting to see something that wasn't jagged land and distant, thick forest.

Takumi got to his feet, pushing open the carriage door a bit as he glanced over at Oboro. “I'm going to see how much longer. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Takumi supposed if there was one good thing to come about Nohr lacking the sun, it was that he wasn't blinded every time he stepped outside. He set a brisk pace towards the front of the line, searching for where Xander’s retainer, Laslow, was riding. He was a personal escort sent with the other  servants to help guide him safely to Nohr, and was at least a somewhat familiar face.

Spying him, Takumi hurried over. “Laslow, how much longer until we reach Windmire?”

Laslow hummed from atop his horse, a light smile on his face. “About two hours or less left I'd say. It’ll probably be late evening by that point.” Gods, it was already the afternoon? How was he supposed to tell time when he couldn’t see anything in the sky? “Growing restless, milord?”

“You could say that,” Takumi mumbled. “Any space becomes cramped after a while.”

“Well, once we reach the castle I'm sure you're legs will be in good use as you’re dragged around constantly. Two weeks isn't very long to help get you ready for the wedding.”

“I'm sure it'll be a nightmare but it's for the best.” Takumi bit back a sigh. Showing anything below neutrality wouldn’t do him any favors in the long run.

Laslow flashed what seemed almost like a sympathetic smile, biting his lip for a moment. “I’m... not originally from Nohr either, you know. Once you get used to the place though it really isn’t that bad. There’s just a bit of an adjustment period.”

Beyond talking about the wedding directly Takumi didn’t want this kind of conversation in the slightest. He didn't need pity shoved onto him, forced reassurance about how he would get used to this. He was well aware that time fixed most things - it didn’t mean he had to _enjoy_ the process.

“I’m sure I’ll get used to it, I hope at least.” Takumi waved in farewell, trying to escape quickly before he could say anything else. “Thank you, Laslow. Uh, I’ll be heading back now.”

Despite leaving Laslow to carry them onwards, Takumi took his time walking back to his carriage. It did feel nice to stretch his legs after hours and hours of being cooped up. Running a hand through his hair, Takumi thought over how the weeks would pan out.

He would have to be fitted for clothes, first and foremost. Oboro, he was sure, would be fighting the whole time with the Nohrian seamstresses over what the final product would be. He would need lessons on certain dances, instructions on certain ceremonies. Laslow was right about two weeks being hardly enough time to ingrain another country’s traditions in him, but he would have to suffer through it.

After a few moments of walking alongside his carriage he stepped back in. Oboro was dozing once more, leaning against Hinata’s shoulder. With an inaudible sigh, Takumi curled up in a corner on his side to stare out the window. He supposed he could try to sleep the rest of the way there. He was grateful that the last few days of travel had kept his dreams peaceful, but it still didn’t stop him from sleeping as little as possible while in close quarters.

After a few hours and Takumi had managed to come back to the world of the waking, they had made their way deep into Windmire. He could see Castle Krakenburg looming up ahead, and it was only a few more minutes before everything stopped. Stretching, Takumi moved to leave the cramped carriage. As he stepped out, Laslow was already there, hand stretching to open the door himself. He took a step back, surprise flickering across his face but he covered it up with a smile.

“The other soldiers and servants can help your retainers move your things inside,” Laslow said. “Milord and the other royal siblings are waiting for you up front.”

 _And I'm sure a large amount of nobles hiding and watching as well_ , Takumi thought. Leo had told him before that the Nohrian court could be much more vicious than Hoshido’s. Especially back when concubines ran wild the Nohrian nobility was in complete shambles. Leo had said Xander planned to replace most of his advisors and keep the other lords in check, but Takumi knew you couldn't get rid of every watchful bird lurking around. If there was noble Hoshidans still itching for war, there had to be some here as well.

As Laslow and him walked side by side, Takumi kept his face as neutral as possible. He could see the Nohrian family standing a few yards away and while there wasn't too extreme of a respect issue here, especially with the younger siblings, he didn't want to already cause tension. Overly formal was better than accidentally impolite.

Elise, however, had little intention of being formal. She bounded up to Takumi, grabbing his hands with a broad smile. “Prince Takumi! I'm so glad you made it here safe!”

During the war, Takumi and Elise had made a begrudging friendship of sorts. Well, it was begrudging on _his_ side. Even after losing a great deal of his prejudice against Nohr, Elise was still just too much sometimes for him. Leo wasn’t much better when he was running his mouth, but at least a good book would get him quiet for a bit. The two siblings exerted their energies in different ways but Takumi could still wind up with a headache from either of them.

Elise tugged him along towards the rest of the royals, a bounce in her step. Her happiness was contagious though and Takumi felt a small smile start to tug at his lips. Princess Camilla let out a short, tinkling laugh as they approached.

“Elise dear, no need to drag him here.” She gave Takumi a warm look. “Welcome to Nohr, Prince Takumi.”

“Thank you, Princess Camilla.” Takumi said. The joy infecting him from Elise ebbed away and an awkward, nervous feeling took it’s place. He was most likely imagining the eyes on him but he felt them all the same.

He gave Prince Leo a curt nod in greeting before growing stiff as Xander approached. He was half a head taller than him, if not more. His armor did nothing to make him seem smaller as he easily lorded over Takumi. Even after seeing him throughout the war being right next him, Xander was... intimidating at best. Takumi was not one to back away easily from just nerves though.

Xander’s eyes were dark and stressed but not unkind. He grabbed one of Takumi’s hands to lift it slightly, leaning down the rest of the way to press a small kiss to the back of it. Xander was almost bowing to him like this, and Takumi wondered if that was the point. The more he looked at the situation the more this felt practiced and rehearsed, which he supposed made sense. An act played for the watching birds. He wondered if Xander felt any of the discomfort Takumi did.

“Prince Takumi,” Xander said, lifting his head up slightly. “I welcome you to my home, which in time will be yours as well. I hope you find everything well accommodated for you.”

A cynical part of Takumi reared up, wanting to laugh at the thought. Nohr was probably as far as he could get from his real home. Still, he donned a gracious smile to flash at Xander. This was after all a duet and he couldn’t miss his lines.

“Thank you, King Xander, for your- warm receiving.” Takumi’s hand twitched in Xander’s. He urged to snatch it back, to simply be taken to his quarters and hide from prying eyes.

As if sensing his wants Xander dropped his hand and stood back up to his full height. Takumi was already growing sick of looking up. He hoped that annoyance wouldn't be a common feeling through the years.


	2. Moment of Respite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’ll take time to get used to the castle, and all its inhabitants.

Until he was officially married to Xander, Takumi was going to have his own private quarters. So far, that had been the only real silver lining in all of this. The room wasn't grand by any means but it was comfortable, a large window against the wall shedding what little evening light there was into the room. A vanity was pressed against the right wall with his bed cornered in the left near the window. Rugs and drapes of dark colors adorned the floor and walls and it was all so distinctly... _Nohrian_.  
  
Takumi bid the maid who had guided him there a brief thank you before sending her away. He had managed to avoid dinner for the evening despite Camilla’s protests, so he was free to enjoy the room undisturbed. Even if he was hungry, he wanted to relax in his own space for the moment. Having that kind of privacy was on limited time.  
  
Takumi sat down on the bed, toying with the thick wool blankets. A fire place was across from him but was unlit for the moment. He could see ash still lying in the pit, a leftover from whoever had the room last. At least during winter nights he wouldn’t freeze to death, he supposed. The Nohrian cold was not something he was looking forward to. Lying down on the sheets Takumi stared up at the ornamental ceiling. Various patterns and designs ran across it in arching motions and he traced them with his eyes.  
  
He wondered if Nohr had any tonics that could help prevent nightmares.  
  
Even if nothing in Hoshido had managed to help, perhaps he could find something here that could stop them. Nohr's medicinal knowledge had to be very different from Hoshido's, right? He would have to talk with Elise about it. He didn’t enjoy the idea of being open about such a weak aspect of himself, but Takumi wasn’t sure if he wanted to have those dreams once married. He would rather admit his nightmares to Elise than to someone like Xander.  
  
Takumi sighed, rolling onto his stomach. He was trying so hard to stay positive over the whole situation. He wasn't being held hostage in Nohr, so why did he feel like it? The rational part of him knew it was just nerves. Being thrust into a place that he had grown up hearing nothing but horrors from, knowing his future now was going to be so different from what he had planned... It was all good reasons to have knots in his stomach, but a part of Takumi worried it stemmed from Nohr itself. The air here wasn't meant for someone like him.  
  
Gods, he needed to calm down before he snapped. Nohr was no longer the backdrop for horror and betrayal. Eventually, after enough time, Takumi would feel that way. He would have to insist it to himself until it came true.  
  
A knock on the door startled Takumi out of his thoughts. Hesitating for a brief moment on ignoring it before standing up from the bed, calling out.  
  
“Who is it?” he asked.  
  
“Care to see where the library is?” Leo’s voice came from the other side.  
  
Takumi let out a small huff and opened the door. He gave Leo a small, tired smile and folded his arms.  
  
“Shouldn't you be getting ready for bed by now?” Takumi asked.  
  
“Implying you were?” Leo scoffed. “If you are weary from traveling I can leave you be, I just figured you'd might want to situate yourself more with the castle.”  
  
“So of course, you're directing me to the library?” Takumi tsked but his smile didn't slip. “Even after a few months of being apart, you still know how to capture my interest. Come on then, show me this library you've spoken of so fondly before.”  
  
Takumi shut his door behind him and let Leo guide him through Castle Krakenburg’s halls. Leo walked with such confidence but to Takumi everything looked the same. How was he supposed to find his way around here? Was there actual details he was missing showing where they were or did all Nohrians just have incredible memory?  
  
“I take it your travels weren't too rough?” Leo asked.  
  
Takumi scoffed. “I would've taken a bit of roughness. It was pretty boring if I'm being honest.”  
  
“Well I can assure you the next two weeks won't be anywhere close to boring.” Leo glanced over at Takumi. “I do hope you aren't too nervous?”  
  
More wedding talk. That was the only thing he'd be hearing about until the day of, wasn't it?  
  
“Leo, I will turn around and find my way back to my room if you try to make this about the marriage,” Takumi said. If he could hunt and track in the woods, he could find his way around these halls with enough determination.  
  
Leo raised his hands in surrender but a small smirk was on his face. “Fair enough, it was only a question. As your future brother in law it’s important we’re honest with each other.”  
  
Takumi rolled his eyes and bumped arms against him. “Don’t remind me of the worst part of this arrangement - being related to you.”  
  
“I’m offended,” Leo said. “After all the skills and lessons I taught you, you’re quick to turn on me.”  
  
“Teaching me chess isn’t exactly noteworthy feat, Leo.”  
  
Takumi paused once they reached the library, trailing behind Leo as he took in the room. Tall, elegant bookshelves towered above them holding hundreds upon hundreds of books against the walls. Although the air here was much different from his library in Hoshido, it was a welcome sight nonetheless. Leo stopped near the back and sat down in a cushioned chair. Takumi ran a hand over a line of books nearby and felt the dust on the shelf gather on his skin. Not many people must come back here.  
  
“It's certainly quiet,” Takumi said, watching Leo light a candle with magic on a small circle table.  
  
“Yes, I'm usually the only one who actually uses the library save for a few servants now and then,” Leo replied. “My brother sometimes comes in if he doesn’t have a particular book or map in his study, but my sisters typically don't come here unless they're looking for me.”  
  
Takumi nodded, scanning the books lining the walls. The fresh options here were tantalizing. As much as he enjoyed philosophy and history, they weren’t the only genres he enjoyed. He made a mental note to ask Leo later how everything was organized.  
  
“I’m not surprised you have this place almost marked off as your own,” Takumi said.  
  
“I wouldn’t go that far but I am the most frequent user. Especially back here - most of the staff isn't interested in large volumes of Nohr's past. Although I suppose this area is going to get a bit busier with you here.” Leo flashed him a small smile. “I hope you’re prepared for a list of books you have to read.”  
  
“I wouldn’t accept a curated list from anyone but you,” Takumi said, covering his mouth as he yawned. “Let’s save that conversation for tomorrow though.”  
  
“If you get a bit of free time, sure. You’re going to be busy from dawn until dusk for quite a while.”  
  
Takumi huffed. “If you think I don’t know how to elude some servants for some peace and quiet you’re mistaken, Leo.”  
  
“Fair enough,” Leo said, standing. “But we both should probably try to get some sleep.”  
  
“I will… right after I’m done looking around.” Takumi scanned the spines of some books on a nearby shelf, grabbing one at random after a moment. “I can find my way back.”  
  
Leo sighed. “I doubt that, but if you need something simply call for a servant and one will probably hear you. Don’t expect them to be too happy though, it’s quite late.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, I hear you,” Takumi said, already flipping through the pages.  
  
Leo bid him a goodnight before parting, shutting the door on his way out and leaving Takumi in silence. The lit candle flickered next to him and caused shadows to dance over the pages. The book's content turned out to be a collection of the history of past Nohrian generals and kings. The two certainly seemed to coincide a lot.  
  
Takumi ran his fingers down the page. A regal man with a square face was drawn next to tiny text, long hair pulled back from his face in a low ponytail. His nose was crooked and he held a scar over his lip, but flower petals seemed pressed to the collar of his shirt.  
  
“King Siegbert the third,” Takumi mumbled to himself. “Loved by the people and nature alike.”  
  
The passage went on to go about the king’s exploits and victories, an overall just king who held the support and admiration of his country for years. He managed to form most of what little agriculture Nohr had now, which explained the flowers at least. As Takumi reached the bottom of the page though he noticed the corner looked well folded. He frowned. He flipped through and quite a few of the pages had been marked the same way. Did Leo really have the nerve to dog-ear books? Takumi was grateful he had never tampered with his own collection in such a way then.  
  
He glanced over each of the marked pages. Several kings, a few queens, some basic generals… Each of them completed different feats and accomplishments but were all well received by their country. By the time Takumi finished scanning through, the candle had burned down half way. He grimaced as he closed the book and pushed it back in its place on the shelf. He hadn’t meant to spend so much time going over past Nohrian leadership.  
  
Perhaps Takumi would give the book it’s dues and properly look through it another day. For now though, curling up in bed was the only goal he needed.  
  
Takumi left the library yawning, glancing around the empty hall. An eerie feeling washed over him as he started to try and retrace his steps. What was it about Nohr that was so... creepy? The tall ceilings now seemed dangerous with shadows obscuring it, and the light from the candles on the walls didn’t help much. Takumi shook his head. The place would become normal to him soon enough. For now he just had to get back to his room and get some sleep in before the morning.  
  
After a minute or so of confidentiality striding down the halls, making turns he was _positive_ he had made before, Takumi was starting to feel like he should’ve left with Leo. He was a hunter and tracker and yet his sense of navigation was going to be beaten by foreign architecture. The feeling he was being watched was growing alongside his paranoia with every step he took. As he walked he noticed a door up ahead was cracked open, light glowing from inside. He hoped it was a servant’s quarters.  
  
Takumi pressed a hand to the door, opening it a bit more so he could peer inside. He paused. While he hadn’t found a servant, he had found Xander’s study with him in it. Xander was writing up some document at his desk, and he either didn't know Takumi was there yet or didn't bother to acknowledge him.  
  
What was he still doing up? Takumi was no stranger to all nighters but he didn't expect to see Xander aiming for one. He didn't really strike Takumi as the kind of guy to test his limits like that.  
  
Biting his lip, Takumi debated on making his presence known. As much as he would love to just leave Xander be, the thought of wandering the halls of the castle for much longer stopped him. He would have to take the sting to his pride and ask for directions back.  
  
Clearing his throat, Takumi rapped his knuckles against the door. “King Xander? Up late tonight?”  
  
Xander glanced up from his paperwork, pausing as he saw Takumi. “Oh, Prince Takumi- yes, I… suppose so. I need to finish a few documents first before bed. Is something the matter?”  
  
“Uh, no, not really,” Takumi said. “I'm just… a bit turned around from where my room is.”  
  
“Oh.” Xander paused for a moment before standing, walking over to point to the right of Takumi. “It's down this hall and up the stairs - it should be somewhere on the left then.”  
  
Takumi groaned inside. He wasn't even on the right floor. “Right… thank you, King Xander. I'm still not accustomed to the castle's layout I guess.”  
  
“No one would expect you to be. You'll learn the floors soon enough,” Xander said.  
  
Takumi could only hope, then perhaps he'd be able to spare himself future embarrassment. 

“In time, yeah. Well… good night then," Takumi said.

The air was thick around them. Takumi hoped that Xander couldn't feel how tense the situation was and it was only him stressing over it. He struggled to find any words that would break the silence. He was going to end up marrying Xander and he was failing to even hold a conversation! Takumi glanced him over, trying to gauge if he felt the same anxiety Takumi did. It was normal to find it hard to find the right mannerisms around your future husband right? He failed to gain much insight over Xander though; if anything he just looked... tired. Bags were under his eyes and it seemed like his attention was anywhere but here.

"...You should head to bed soon as well.” The words fell out of Takumi's mouth before he could stop them. Stuffing down internal chagrin, he supposed it was an _honest_ statement. Takumi himself certainly wasn't the poster child of good sleeping habits but that didn't mean he couldn't encourage others to take care of themselves.  
  
Xander simply nodded in response. “In due time I will. Good night, Prince Takumi.”  
  
With that Xander shut the door between them, a soft click from where it fell into place. Well, that was... abrupt. Takumi tried to brush off the dismissal as he left. Xander was a grown adult who could take care of himself after all - Takumi had no reason to try to mother hen him to bed. Besides, that wasn't his responsibility here. His responsibility was to keep the peace and play nice. If Xander wanted to pull all nighters he could do so, Takumi on the other hand was eager to get back to his room. He would take a fitful sleep over wandering the castle any longer.  
  
Following Xander’s directions Takumi managed to find his way back to his room. During the day he would have to search out markers for where he was. Sighing and tugging down his hair, he sunk into his bed. The sheets were cold but the ability to _relax_ more than made up for it. The day's worth of travel and stress washed over him only to settle into muscles, coaxing him to give into sleep.  
  
He hoped his exhaustion would keep it peaceful. After all, he would need as much rest as possible to deal with what the next week would bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got this chapter out;; I wouldn't expect another update until January at the very least (I have commissions that require attention first...) but I'll try to get it out as soon as possible ;^;
> 
> Follow me on [tumblr](https:ariphyll.tumblr.com) or [twitter](https:twitter.com/ariphyll)!


	3. Pins and Needles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takumi wondered how long you had to be away from home to have genuine homesickness, because he felt he was well on his way there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, you thought this fic was abandoned? Wrong, I just have depression. This chapter was a little hard for me to get out among a lot of factors, but hopefully I'll be able to update slightly more regularly rather than going dark for a while.
> 
> Come yell at me or silently watch my writing habits on [tumblr](https://ariphyll.tumblr.com) or my more active, more personal [twitter](https://twitter.com/ariphyll).

Takumi woke up to the sound of someone banging at his door. Groaning, he buried his head under his pillow but Elise’s piercing voice cut through the other side of the door and his feathery shield.

“Takumi! Are you up yet? Camilla wants you down for breakfast!” Elise continued to bang on the door, only now starting to implement a rhythm. Her voice adopted a sing song tone to match. “I can’t leave until you get up~!”

Takumi bit back a sharp retort. He was already missing his early mornings in Hoshido, quiet and calm and _quiet_. He took a few moments to mentally pull himself together before forcing himself out of bed. Adjusting his clothes before opening the door, the sudden silence as the knocking ended almost rang in the air.

“Elise…” Takumi said, giving her an exasperated look. “Shouldn’t one of my retainers been sent to wake me up?”

Elise giggled. “Maybe, but it’s more fun this way! Come on, don’t be a grouch like Leo.”

Takumi ran a hand through his hair, tugging through the knots that had formed overnight. He had managed a heavy sleep for once, but it felt like he didn’t sleep at all if he was honest.

"Still, you can't just-- hey!" Takumi made a startled noise as Elise pushed past him into his room, glancing around.

“Jeez, you didn’t set up at all did you? You even slept in your clothes from yesterday,” Elise said. “But hey, at least we made sure you got one of the nicer guest rooms. The ones without a fireplace are _definitively_ the worst in the castle.”

Takumi stared at her for a moment. “...Did I invite you in without realizing it?”

Elise flashed him a smile. “Aw, don’t be grumpy! I have to make sure you don’t go straight back to bed the second I leave.”

“I assure you that I’m more than awake now,” Takumi huffed. “I’m not going to let you stay and snoop through my things.”

“Hey!” Elise pouted. “I don’t _snoop_... I _am_ curious about what you brought with you though.”

“That’s a mystery that will have to remain unsolved,” Takumi said. He grabbed Elise by the shoulders and steered her towards the door. “Besides, how am I to get dressed for breakfast with you in here?”

“Ugh, fine, but _no_ going back to bed. Camilla is excited to have breakfast with everyone,” Elise said.

Takumi made a small noise of acknowledgement before closing the door behind her. Gods, curling back up in bed sounded nice. As tempting as it was though, the threat of Elise returning with her small but powerful fists against the door loomed over him. Maybe he could sneak a nap later...

Yawning, Takumi kneeled down to where his still packed clothes resided. He did need to at least _start_ adjusting to living here... at some point. He could square it away to deal with much later. Grabbing the first set of clothes his hands touched, he grimaced as he caught sight of himself in the vanity mirror. His hair was a mess of fly-aways and knots, only half held by his ponytail from the day before. Takumi shook his head as he got dressed. Maybe he could get away with doing something quick to it...

Pulling the tie out of his hair, Takumi raked his fingers through and tugged the tangles loose. He had some combs hidden somewhere but he was no stranger to having to tame his hair with nothing but his hands. At the very least, throwing it up into a bun made it look presentable to most.

Takumi wasn't at it for long before the bitter taste of homesickness started to well up inside him. He had been in Nohr for a day and his heart was already eager to go back home. He took a steadying breath, willing the acidic feeling in the back of his throat to leave for the day. He would have to grow used to Nohr at some point, wouldn't he? It wasn't like he had time to sit around moping about his new home anyway.

The more he had to repeat to himself that it would take time, that he would grow comfortable here eventually, the more he sounded like a broken record. Shaking his head, Takumi tried to focus on past lessons from his mother. Tricks from when he was young and even more prone to erratic mood swings.

He could get through today, and all the ones to come, if he just kept himself busy.

Takumi double checked his bun was tight enough before getting dressed - an invisible hourglass ticking down in his mind. Elise would definitely be back to yell at him in no time if he didn't pick up the pace.

Yawning as he left the room, Takumi realized after a few moments there was an issue. He still had no idea how the castle was mapped out. He glanced each way down the corridor, wracking his brain for anything that would help point him towards the dining hall. Maybe he should search out a maid…?

“Prince Takumi?”

Takumi turned at the sound of his name, pausing as he caught sight of Xander. Oh, well- this was somewhat fortunate at least.

“Ah, good morning, King Xander,” Takumi said, giving a stiff but polite bow of his head. “I was just heading to breakfast. 

“Then that makes two of us,” Xander said. A brief moment of silence lapsed between them. Takumi couldn't tell if the nerves came from both of them or him alone. “Shall I guide you down there?”

Takumi gave an internal sigh. Sparing himself from any more embarrassment than he suffered the night before was a welcome relief. “Thank you, that would be… nice.”

“Right this way then,” Xander said, brushing past Takumi and around the corner of the hall.

Takumi had to keep a fast pace to stay in line with Xander’s long strides. He bit back a huff - the brisk walk wouldn’t be as annoying if Xander wasn’t nearly a foot taller than him. Takumi tried to pay attention to their surroundings as they walked, to figure out some sort of mental map of the castle. Huge, arching windows lined the wall to their left and early morning light filtered in to splay across the floor, disrupted only by their bodies passing through the beams.

They were pretty and ornate and Takumi was positive that every other window he’d seen so far looked the exact same.

Takumi fiddled with the loose strands of his hair. Maybe Leo would be able to help him figure the place out…

“Did you sleep well, Prince Takumi?”

Takumi paused for a moment, casting a quick sideways glance over at Xander. His shoulders were stiff and he was staring straight ahead, but his voice seemed like a brand of forced casual. Takumi turned his eyes back to the hall in front of them. “Ah, yes, I did.” He hesitated on a lapse of silence. “I hope you also had a good night’s rest?”

“Yes, I did, thank you.” The response was clipped but not cold. Takumi snuck another glance but he found he couldn’t read Xander’s face.

Takumi bit the inside of his cheek. He wished he had Ryoma’s natural charisma with people, or at least Hinoka's bold personality. It would make his feeble attempts at small talk much easier at the very least.

Xander led him down a flight of stairs, and then another before taking a sharp right and into a large dining hall. A grand table was placed in the center of the room, and he could see the other Nohrian siblings already sitting around it. Three sets of eyes looked up at Takumi as he entered but Elise was the first one to start smiling.

“There you are! See, I told you I woke him up, Leo,” Elise said.

“I can very well see that _now_ , Elise,” Leo huffed. He flashed Takumi a faint grin before turning back towards the table.

Camilla let an almost demure smile cross her lips as she looked at them. “I can understand Takumi, but I’m surprised to see you running late, brother.” There was something in her eyes that Takumi couldn’t make out all the way. It was something that felt almost chastising but Xander didn’t seem affected in the slightest as he took his seat at the head of the table. “Up late again?”

“I had reports to finish up,” Xander said. It was simple and from what Takumi remembered it was the truth, but Camilla only seemed half placated.

Takumi glanced over at Leo and Elise, but either they didn’t notice the exchange or simply didn’t show any reaction to it. Aiming to just push it off, Takumi took the last open seat, placed next to Leo and to the right of Xander. All the dishes laid out before him looked well-made but he couldn’t find much of an appetite if he was being honest. He had never been one for big breakfasts to begin with.

Camilla was the first person to start filling up her plate and also the first one to start the questions. “So, Takumi, you meet with the seamstresses today, don't you?”

Takumi kept his face as neutral as possible. Really, shouldn’t he expect wedding conversation at all points in time for now? He made a noncommittal noise and nodded, taking a few eggs and biscuits but leaving everything else untouched.

“One of your retainers should be there with you, but hopefully they can prep your outfit without much hassle. Two weeks isn’t very long to make something so intricate.” Camilla paused, eyeing his plate. “Are you not hungry, dear?”

Ah. Was his plate really going to be scrutinized already? He gave a vague wave, trying to physically brush her off. “It’s fine. I’m… not one to eat much in the mornings.”

“Don’t toy with him, sister,” Leo said, coming to his rescue. “He’s getting used to the castle as it is.”

Camilla let out a light laugh. “Oh, I’m not _toying_ with him. I need to make sure I don’t have to be monitoring more than one diet.”

Takumi glanced over at Elise. Considering the lack of vegetables on her plate, he had a vague idea of who Camilla might be talking about.

Breakfast continued in silence and Takumi struggled to not just pick at his plate. Anxiety was starting to twist his stomach into knots, filling it before food could. It was going to be that sort of day, then? It took a few minutes before Camilla managed to give him his out.

“Leo, dear, would you mind showing Takumi where he needs to go once you’re both finished?” Camilla asked. “I’d hate to leave him by himself when the castle is still so new to him.”

“Not a problem at all, sister,” Leo said.

Takumi resisted the urge to stand up immediately. “I’m ready whenever you are,” he said, trying to keep his voice casual.

“Very well.” Leo took a few more quick bites before standing, wiping his mouth with a napkin before dropping it on his plate. “The seamstresses should be expecting you in a room near the foyer.”

Takumi nodded, letting Leo guide him out and into the halls. A bit of the weight in his stomach dissipated as they found themselves alone and Leo sent him a sympathetic look.

“Adjusting well?” Leo asked.

“I’m doing fantastic,” Takumi scoffed. “I’m certainly looking forward to being prodded with needles all day.”

Leo let out a short laugh. “It shouldn’t take that long. Besides, this is just measurements, isn't it? You'll probably be facing more needles on your second trip there.”

Takumi shot him a withering look. “Thanks for the reminder.”

“Afterwards, I can show you around more of the castle if you’d like?” Leo offered.

“I think I’ll just settle for being taken back to the library,” Takumi said. “So long as I can make it from there to my room, I think I’ll be able to handle it here.”

“Yes- did you find your way back alright last night?” Leo asked.

 _No._ “Yeah, I managed.”

Leo huffed a small laugh, a sign he knew Takumi was lying, but didn’t comment further. He guided Takumi down a set of stairs and down into the larger foyer of Castle Krakenburg, the arching ceiling twice as high as usual. Takumi was positive that all the candle chandeliers had to be a high fire risk, but it wasn’t like the large windows provided much light otherwise. Clouds blanketed the sky and muddled any sunlight parsing through. Leo took a sharp left down a hall before opening up the first door, giving a courteous smile inside before looking at Takumi.

“And here you are,” Leo said.

From inside the room Oboro popped her head out, flashing Takumi a warm smile before reaching and starting to tug him in. “Great, you’re early milord! That’ll give us plenty of time.”

Takumi shot Leo a fleeting look of _help_ before letting himself be pulled inside, hearing the door slam shut behind them. There were a few other Nohrian women inside the room who all gave a polite bow towards him before continuing with their tasks. Takumi looked at Oboro with a bit of amusement, watching her organize fabrics in front of her.

While it was a little bit at his own expense Takumi was at least grateful to see Oboro still in her element even while in Nohr. It was much better than the alternative of her miserable and… _glaring_.

“Alright, first things first, we need to get you changed…” Oboro mumbled. She pulled away from the desk with some clothes in hand, shoving them to Takumi’s chest. “Here, get into this and then I can take your measurements.”

“Shouldn’t you already have my measurements?” Takumi asked, looking over the plain clothes. “It’s not like I changed much from Hoshido to Nohr.”

Oboro shot him a flat look. “Only your waist size might transfer over well. These are completely different cuts and seams and styles--”

Takumi bit back a laugh. “Of course. Sorry for questioning the master.”

“Exactly, now let’s get this over with,” Oboro said, pushing him behind a dressing screen. “Those _should_ be in the realm of your size. It’ll work for now at least.”

“Right,” Takumi said, glancing down at the shorts in his hands. A little flutter of discomfort went through his chest.

_Never thought I’d be getting sized for Nohrian garb for something like this…_

A seamstress from the other side of screen spoke up, and Takumi watched her shadow move towards Oboro’s as he undressed. “You said blues, correct? Are any of these colors a good match for what you were looking for?”

Oboro hummed in thought. “This one works, but with thicker fabric. This is too flimsy as it is.”

“Ah, we might have some here… I’ll have to check.”

“Please do. The thicker the better - I can show you what kind I’m looking for later if needed.”

The shorts were soft at the least, Takumi was noticing. Plain and practical but they did their job. He ran a hand up his bare arm with a huff. Being so scarcely dressed for the most _accurate_ numbers was always the worst part. Takumi stepped back from behind the curtain, watching as Oboro was folding up a dark jacket.

She looked him over for a moment, visibly thinking before dropping the jacket off on a cluttered desk. She grabbed a strip of measuring tape in return and pointed to a pedestal near the middle of the room. “Alright, get on there and stand straight.”

This wasn’t the first time Takumi had been subjected to Oboro taking his measurements and he was sure it wouldn't be the last. While he hated the obnoxious amount of time it took, he was glad that at least it was Oboro doing this. Having hands all over him was already a stress, and while the Nohrian ladies in the room looked friendly enough, he’d rather leave it to his retainer.

Oboro was only about half way through before Takumi heard the door behind him open, and before he could even turn to see who it was he felt an arm slinging around his shoulders.

“How’s it going?” Hinata asked, bright smile hanging off his face as he leaned into Takumi. “Havin’ fun without me?”

Oboro shot him a flat look. “Would you get off of him? You’re going to screw up my numbers.” She swatted at his side until Hinata conceded, stepping a few paces back.

“Aw, hey, I was just checking up on you guys!” Hinata folded his arms but his smile didn’t dampen. “Man, you should see the training grounds here. I mean, all their weapons are completely different than from home, but the _style_ of the place.”

“Am I really to believe you suddenly developed a sense of aesthetics for anything?” Oboro asked, tone dry as she synched the tape tight around Takumi’s waist.

“Well, I don’t know if I would go that far…” Hinata said.

Takumi left out a small huff. He could almost picture his Fujin Yumi locked away in his room, still in it’s safe protective case and ready for use. “A bit of archery practice sounds great right now...”

“Ooo, think we could sneak away after this?” Hinata asked. “I mean, Oboro can take care of this once she has your numbers, right?”

“Oh no, I don’t think so,” Oboro said. “You’re not stealing Lord Takumi away so you two can both mess around on the training grounds.”

Hinata let out a whine. “Why not? You have to plan out everything first anyway right?”

“Yes, but I still need him here to check colors, composition, styles - just because I can mentally place any color to Lord Takumi’s skin tone doesn’t mean I _should_.” Oboro shot him a small glare. “Do you _want_ our lord to look the best at his wedding or not?”

Hinata raised his hands in surrender. Fashion was the one fight Takumi knew they would never win against on their own. “Yeah, yeah, I got it, I’ll let you finish.”

Takumi gave him a small smile. “I’m sure there’ll be plenty of time between Oboro finishing up and dinner. We could probably sneak in some practice…”

Oboro shook her head but her lips were twitching in a smile. “You guys could focus on literally anything else you know. There’s more important matters at hand.”

“Oh come on, Oboro,” Hinata said, moving to wrap an around around her shoulders and jerk her close to him. “You could always come with us, y’know…”

“Ugh, seriously?” Oboro complained, a grin as she pushed him back. “What makes you think I’d want to go train with _you?_ ”

Hinata made a wounded noise. “Ouch, hey! I’m loads of fun to hang out with. Right, Lord Takumi?”

Takumi played with the ends of his hair as he pretended to think. “Well, I suppose you can get a bit rowdy…”

“Hey!”

Oboro laughed at that which brought Takumi into a soft fit as well, bringing up a hand to cover his mouth. He paused once he noticed the other women in the room respectfully bowing towards the door. He bit the inside of his cheek as he turned around and felt a chill settle inside his stomach at the sight of King Xander in the doorway.

Takumi immediately cleared his throat, garnering the attention of his two retainers who brought themselves up straight once they also spied Xander. Gods, how long had he been standing there and Takumi hadn’t noticed?

“I apologize for interrupting,” Xander said. “I wanted to let you know, Prince Takumi, that the council would like you to join us for our meeting tomorrow.”

“Oh, uh- alright,” Takumi said, mentally strangling himself for not being to respond with anything better.

“I’ll have briefings brought to your room so you can look them over.” Xander glanced at Hinata and Oboro. “I will leave you three to continue your conversation.”

Before Takumi could say anything else Xander turned and left, leaving him to silently over-analyze the situation.

“They’re already dragging you into meetings?” Hinata asked, folding his arms.

“Apparently…” Oboro murmured, going back to finishing up her measurements.

Takumi stayed quiet, trying to keep the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach from rising up into his throat. He supposed, all things considered, that could've been worse.

He bit back a sigh. It was all an adjustment period, right?


	4. One, Two, Three...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takumi was starting to feel the toll that adapting to both castle life and wedding prep was leaving in it's wake. It would have to stop at some point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will I ever update in a regular time frame? The world may never know. Not super satisfied with this chapter but it's gonna do better being out in the open than sitting in my wips for any longer. Who knows, maybe I'll come back around and edit it in the future? That's for future me to decide.
> 
> Also thank you for over 100 kudos! We poppin' bottles and opening up more docs.

Even back in Hoshido Takumi found council meetings to be… lackluster. As much as politics was something he was groomed to understand from childhood, he could only stand it for so long. Listening to people drone on and on about taxes and construction was exhausting for anyone after enough time. If he was honest, sometimes he wanted to hide away like a child and just ask for the meeting notes later.

Still, there was one perk that back home held, Takumi was realizing. There, at least, nobody side eyed him with barely disguised distaste.

It’s not that Takumi blamed the other Nohrian members - well, okay, not completely. He could only imagine the response Hoshido’s own council would give in this situation. Yet repeating that rationale in his head over and over succeeded in very little beyond it just becoming white noise. After being introduced to everyone before the meeting, all awkward smiles and stiff greetings with eyes that spoke unpleasantries, well... he was already tired.

Takumi gritted his teeth as he listened to another Nohrian whose name he couldn’t remember butcher some landmark's pronunciation as they discussed fresh trade routes. This whole meeting was edging from annoying into _frustrating._

Takumi watched the Nohrian man continue talking but his gaze was unfocused. What was his name anyway? Takumi drummed his fingers against the table as he thought. There had been introductions but the second he heard someone’s name it dissipated to nothingness in his mind.

Takumi ran over the Nohrian names he knew in his head as the meeting carried on without him. It wasn't like he could ask for his name now, and Takumi wasn’t sure how Xander would take to his immediate mental dismissal of his council’s members. He was going to be involved with this council after all, marriage or not. So perhaps at least showing an attempt was necessary, even if the middle-aged man speaking was drawing a complete blank.

Takumi glanced at the man’s oily mustache and receding hairline. His face was distinct enough at least, his name couldn’t be that far off. V-something, maybe? Yeah, he looked like he had a V in his name...

“Mm, is something keeping our new prince distracted? Or is it that he doesn’t even know the trading routes of his own kingdom?”

Takumi was pulled out of his thoughts by the barbed comment, aware all at once that the whole council was staring at him. Ah, pleasant. The man who made the comment was sitting to the right of oily-mustache, wearing what seemed like a perpetual frown and with eyebrows too bushy to fit his face.

Takumi brought a polite smile to his face that didn’t even begin to feel real, trying hard to feign playing nice. “My- apologies. What is the place in question?”

Bushy-eyebrows attempted to hide his scoff but it was half-hearted at best. “Lord Nichol was asking if the path that goes through the mountains near Igashato would be able to go farther into northern Nohrian territory.”

Condescension dripped from the man’s tone and Takumi felt his patience wearing thin. He wasn’t going to be treated like a child by a man who couldn’t even pronounce _Igasato_ right. Takumi doubted half of these people could even find it on a damn map. He opened his mouth but whatever sharp retort he had on his tongue died as he felt a kick from under the table.

He shot a glare towards Leo who was busy writing something down in his notes. Convenient.

Bushy-eyebrows cleared his throat, catching Takumi’s attention again as he raised one furry monstrosity up. Takumi bit back a huff and schooled his voice into fake sweetness.

“An Iga- _sa_ - _to_ route is possible - of course if you don’t mind your merchants being mobbed by kitsune now and again.”

A woman with more of a beak than a nose spoke up. “They can simply move their territory then. Is Hoshido not capable of adjusting its borders or… _protecting_ them?”

Takumi felt his false smile weaken at the insinuation. His hand twitched on the table.

"I wasn't aware the situation was so dire we needed to attack them," he said. His throat felt a bit tight in his effort to keep his voice calm.

Beak-woman shot him a bored look. "We won't have to if they know their place, now will we?"

"We never did have an issue with working with the wolfskins," Bushy-brows pitched in, slime dripping from his tone.

Takumi felt acid in the back of his throat. He could think of a lot of ways Nohr used to 'work' with the wolfskins under Garon's rule. However before he, or anyone else could further chime in Xander spoke up from the head of the table.

“There will be no need for any of that. We are not going to force the kistune to adjust by any means.” Takumi almost thought he heard a bit of chill to his tone. “There is another route a little farther south, isn’t there Prince Takumi?”

Takumi drew his eyes away from beak-woman’s dark ones as he thought. “There should be, can’t imagine it would add more than a day or two to the travel time.”

Xander nodded. “Then adjust your maps to that, Lord Nichol, and check your other suggestions for flaws. Any others will have to be drawn up anew.”

Takumi watched beak-woman frown from the corner of his eye. A small spark of something akin to victory flared in his chest. Even if the council was bitter at his presence at least he had strength if the king was on his side. It was a small comfort, but the only one he would get today it seemed.

Xander let out a short sigh - nigh inaudible but Takumi was seated close enough to catch it. “We’ll reconvene in a few days to go over the new tax plans. For now, let’s draw this meeting to a close.”

Takumi let his body go slack as everyone started to disperse, trying to shoo away the lingering bad taste in his mouth. Leo gave him a pointed look from across the table. “Someone seems eager to start fights.”

“I almost miss the old war councils,” Takumi mumbled, toying with the ends of his ponytail. Sure, it was war but at least there everyone was mostly on the same page and didn’t drive him up the wall… by the end of it, at least.

“At least attempt to play civil here,” Leo said.

“And should I be modeling myself after you?” Takumi asked, standing and starting to organize his notes. They were detailed up until the point he had turned off from the conversation. “I’ll play nice when you show me you know how to first.”

Leo rolled his eyes at him. “I think it’s about time you let go of those petty squabbles we had.”

“And I think you have no place to talk.” Takumi shot him a small grin before turning and leaving. All things considered, he was eager to escape that room.

As he walked down the hall, he gave an idle tug at the collar of his shirt. Oboro had seemed enthusiastic when she woke him up early that morning with new outfits, but Takumi could only give half effort. Honestly, who designed such tight fabric around your neck of all places?

Perhaps he could sneak away back to his room… Takumi was pretty sure he could find his way back from here. He could strip, grab one of the books Leo had recommended from the library, avoid any and all wedding prep for a while...

“Prince Takumi!”

Or not. Some dreams were too sweet, it seemed.

Turning, Takumi saw Laslow jogging up to him, a breathless smile on his face. “Ah, I’m glad I found you milord. You disappeared so fast after the council meeting...”

“Mm. Do you need something from me?” Takumi asked.

Laslow smiled wider, not put off by his blunt tone. “Simply your company for an hour or two. I’ve been entrusted to be your dance instructor.”

Takumi paused at that. “I’m sorry - my what?”

“Come on now, we shouldn’t waste any time. I myself know personally how tricky some Nohrian dances can be - especially more traditional ones,” Laslow said, gesturing for him to follow down the hall.

Of course. Dancing. For the wedding.

Takumi must’ve been pulling a face subconsciously as Laslow let out a low chuckle. “Don’t worry, milord. It should only take a few lessons for you to get the hang of it.”

“Right,” Takumi muttered. “Uh- lead the way then, I guess.”

He supposed out of all possible outcomes, Laslow wasn’t the worst option to teach him. Takumi had never actually managed to see him dance before but he had heard rumors about his skill. Plus, it helped that he wasn’t a complete nightmare to stick around with. Still…

“Why _are_ you teaching me, anyway?” Takumi asked. “Wouldn’t a formal instructor be more suited to this sort of thing?”

Laslow paused in front of a door, glancing inside before pushing it open. “Typically, yes, but King Xander asked me to take on the task instead.”

Takumi frowned as he followed him inside the cleared out room. “He asked you to…?”

“Yes, he said it might help with a familiar face teaching you.” Laslow turned to face him. “Now, let’s get started, shall we?” Before Takumi could even reply Laslow was already analyzing him for critiques. “Hmm, keep your posture more straight. Feet farther apart.”

In the back of his mind Takumi was starting to wonder if he actually would prefer a different instructor.

Laslow grabbed a hold of his hands once he was satisfied with his posture. “The waltz isn’t the most difficult Nohrian dance, but I don’t expect you to grasp the basics that fast.”

“Uh- uh huh,” Takumi mumbled, trying not to shift out of place.

“Now mirror after me - left foot first, then right, and now together-” Laslow said, moving in a slow, measured pace.

All things considered, it _could_ be worse. Takumi knew more complicated dances from home but his feet felt awkward as he followed Laslow through the steps. His whole body felt stiff and too close, and more than once their shoes scuffed against each other. Yet even with Laslow’s stream of corrections and critiques as they moved, Takumi was positive it could’ve been much, much worse.

It was a small mercy being granted upon him.

“You’re starting to get the flow of it now, aren’t you? Tomorrow I’ll have you start working in your heels while you finish growing used to the rhythm,” Laslow said, adjusting Takumi’s grip on his hand.

“Heels…?” Takumi echoed, voice hesitant as he tried to both dance and talk. He wanted to glance down but he knew Laslow's keen eyes would notice immediately.

Laslow nodded. “Yes, they won’t be terribly high but, well - a waltz is a bit easier when the height difference is a bit closer together. More comfortable for both parties.”

Ah, right. Laslow wasn’t much taller than Takumi was; he had almost forgotten the near almost foot of height difference between Xander and him. Takumi was pretty sure he had at least worn Nohrian heels before during a reluctant game of dress-up with Elise. He remembered them being vaguely uncomfortable to stand in but overall not the end of the world. Fixing his weight while he walked was the biggest issue. Dancing in a pair however…

“Exactly - how high are we talking?”  
  
Laslow chuckled. “You’ll get used to them. I’m more used to flats myself, but heels are nothing once you learn how to walk in them.”  
  
“So I’ve heard…” Takumi mumbled. How Camilla managed to wear them even into battle was beyond him.

Laslow fixed him with a bright smile. “I would never let you go out there milord if I wasn’t absolutely positive you were ready. It would reflect poorly on me after all; I could never live it down.”

 _You’re hardly the only one._ Takumi wasn’t sure if he would be able to stomach even the idea of doing something as horrendous as falling during his own wedding. Anxiety started to build up in the back of his throat. Falling was only one of many errors he could make. Heels may help close the height gap between Xander and him, but he still had to actually stay on beat with him.

Now that he thought about it, Takumi wasn't sure he had ever been this close to Xander before. There was only a loose gap between Laslow and him - they were close enough that Takumi could see the color of his eyes without issue. It was almost a little _too_ close. It was certainly much closer than he had ever been with Xander.

The anxiety in the back of his throat continued to build up into his mouth. Gods, he was stuck getting married to someone he only knew in small pieces.

Laslow corrected Takumi’s stride length with a gentle nudge, firm and sure in his movements. “You’re overthinking it. Simply focus on the flow of the gait...”

Takumi let out a quiet breath. The mounting pressure started to cool as he focused on Laslow's instructions. One, two, three. Keep your feet in line, and then together. Heel to toe. Keep your posture right.

The bubbling anxiety started to melt as Takumi focused on moving. He felt grounded again instead of teetering on a thin spiral. There wasn't anything he could do right now except practice what Laslow taught him.

One, two, three.

Maybe he could get some archery practice in for some stress relief...

"Now you're getting the hang of it, milord," Laslow said. "Gracefully following your partner’s movement is a big key in staying on beat."

Takumi gave an idle nod, trying to sneak a glance down at their feet position. "Uh-huh, I'll keep that advice in mind."

“Ah, ah-! Eyes up, milord!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only thing that matters is me finding a legit reason to shove Takumi in heels like the tiny bastard he is thank you good night.
> 
> Follow me on [tumblr](https://ariphyll.tumblr.com/) or my much more active [twitter](https://twitter.com/ariphyll)!


	5. Hit Your Mark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The stars glinted in the night sky, but the torches provided enough light for the training grounds to be usable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What, an update only a week later instead of months? I don't know what the fuck is happening either.

Takumi managed to find his way to the training grounds by nighttime. Laslow had ceased his lessons, there were no nobles to harp at him - he didn’t even have any real paperwork or notes of his own to pour over. He had some free time and by the gods, he was going to _take_ it.

_Thwick!_

After all, nothing relieved stress better than a few bullseyes.

Takumi huffed as he squinted at the target a few yards away. At least, it would be if he could actually land a true mark.

Takumi shifted the practice bow in his hands. He should’ve brought the Fujin Yumi down with him instead of trying to work with the Nohrian style bows. He had gotten pretty good at them during the war but after so much time he was a little out of practice. At this rate his stress relief was turning on him.

A familiar itch grew in his hands as he stared down the target. Really, there was no point in obsessing over perfection anymore. The war was finished, and his siblings were far, far away. No one was even in the training area. No one could see the slightly imperfect marks he had left on the target. No one but him. It didn’t _matter_ \- but his hands itched.

It had to matter.

It was getting late but Takumi still notched another arrow and pulled the bowstring back. There were only a few evening stars out; he could stay a while longer. All he needed was one bullseye. One and then he would put the bow back and head up to his room. Just enough to quiet the itch in his hands.

He fired.

The arrow embedded itself into the wood of the target, but not dead center.

The itch grew stronger, and so he notched another arrow.

Takumi had been so busy with moving and adapting to Castle Krakenburg, he knew he would be sore if he kept this pace up. He should take a break, he knew this but- just one bullseye. He would land it on this one, and if he didn’t, well, he would try again. 'Cause the next time, for sure, he would hit the mark.

Takumi didn’t enjoy obsessing. He didn’t enjoy the restlessness in his body over a score less than a hundred, but every piece of him demanded it. So aware of the issue yet so incapable of stopping it. He pulled back the arrow, narrowing his eyes at the target. Perhaps aim a little higher...

“Practicing your archery this evening?”

Takumi let out a small noise as his focus snapped, so intent on the target he didn’t hear anyone approaching. His fingers fumbled in their grip and the arrow flew a foot or two before skidding across the ground. He turned and paused as he saw Xander standing there.

An uncomfortable feeling pressed against the back of his throat but Takumi gave him a polite nod. “Good evening.” A beat passed between them. “Do you… need me for something?”

“Oh-” Xander shook his head. “No, do not worry. I was actually here to do some training myself.”

“Found yourself some free time as well then?” Takumi asked.

“I… guess, in a way. Even among all my other duties I need to find time to stay in top form. Peace or not, Nohr needs a strong king in all aspects.”

Takumi turned in favor of picking up the fallen arrow. The tip was bent just the slightest bit. How annoying.

“Well, I didn’t mean to intervene. I was just about to leave anyway,” Takumi lied.

Xander turned to peer down at the target. The more errant misses stood out like sirens in Takumi’s mind. “Your aim is still as solid as ever, I see.”

Takumi huffed despite himself. “Hardly.” The penance for him slacking was clear as day.

“Is that so?” Xander paused. Takumi glanced in his direction but couldn’t read his face. “Well, thankfully we are in a time of peace. You have plenty of time to reach your old standards.”

Takumi bit the inside of his cheek. Exactly how long had Xander been standing there before he spoke up anyway? “Well, whatever, I’m done now. I don’t want to intrude.”

“Oh- I don’t mean to kick you out,” Xander said. “Actually, would you… Ah, would you like to train with me, Prince Takumi?”

“Hm?” Takumi raised an eyebrow at him. “You want to practice together?”

“I don’t see why not - unless you truly were eager to leave."

The itch in his hands still stayed. "I could stay a bit longer."

"Then it's settled. Although...” Xander shot the bow in his hands a small frown. “I’m not as well-versed in the bow as you are.”

Takumi had to bite back a laugh at that. “Don’t worry about it. I could take you on in some swordplay.”

Immediately Takumi regretted those words. Sword practice with the only man who could match his brother at full strength? What a great idea. Some humiliation could only make the night better, right?

“Really? Then I’d be more than happy to do a few sparring matches,” Xander said. It was officially dark enough that the torches were providing more light than the sky, leaving the training grounds covered in long shadows.

Well, at least it wasn’t his _brother_ Takumi was actually sparring with. Xander may be strong and his husband-to-be, but no defeat by him would be that bitter. Takumi took in a deep breath. It would be a terrible one, surely, but it wasn’t his brother. This could be salvaged.

Sometimes he would criticize Leo for not being honest with his family. The critique always felt hollow coming from him.

“Prince Takumi?” Takumi jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. “Are you still coming with?”

Takumi glanced up at Xander, his face slightly creased with worry. “Oh- yeah, yeah. I just got… distracted. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. If you’re not feeling well you do not have to stay.”

Takumi shook his head. “No, I’m good. Come on, I need to put this bow back.”

They walked in silence towards the small armory, equipped only with practice weapons and a few dull blades. Takumi placed his bow back in it’s spot, leaving his half empty quiver nearby. His spent arrows would probably have to be fixed anyway before being used again.

“You have quite a bit of experience with the sword as well, don’t you Prince Takumi?” Xander asked, testing a broadsword in his hand.

Takumi shrugged. “I have enough. Enough that I could use one on the battlefield if needed.”

“You would spar with your retainer quite often back during the war,” Xander said.

“Well, yeah.” Takumi felt a smile tug at his lips at the memories. “Someone has to best him now and then so he doesn’t get comfortable.”

Takumi thought he saw a hint of a warm smile on Xander’s face as well. “I understand very well working with unruly retainers.”

Thinking of Laslow’s flirtatious behavior and Peri’s… existence, Takumi could see how Xander had him beat in this particular category. For once, he was glad to not be at the top. He enjoyed Hinata and Oboro’s constant antics but he wasn’t sure if he could handle them getting any weirder.

Then again, there was that time Hinata talked about going on a date with some ‘ghost chick’...

Takumi picked up one of the practice shortswords, frowning at the weight. If he was rusty on Nohrian bows he couldn’t imagine when he had last used a Nohrian blade. He adjusted his grip as he tried to adjust to the balance. He didn’t understand why Nohr insisted on making all their weapons so _heavy_.

“Are you ready?” Xander asked, turning towards him.

At least it was too late in the day for anyone else to come to the training grounds. “Sure, let’s go.”

Takumi took a deep breath as they reconvened outside, adjusting his weight onto the balls of his feet as he prepared himself. The heavy handle of the blade felt unnatural but not impossible to work with. He brushed his thumb over the scratched hilt as he looked up at Xander.

“Ready?” He asked.

Xander nodded and only a beat passed before he struck first.

If there was one thing Takumi could always rely on, it was his speed. Being short and smaller than a lot of other people was annoying at best most days - but for combat? Takumi took a step back, brandishing his sword in front of his chest as he edged to the side. Speed was what samurai were trained for, and his size only helped that aspect.

Xander, on the other hand, held more power in his swings. Takumi dodged a few more attacks before forcing himself to dip in close. One strike would feel like multiple if he let himself be hit in the wrong area. Takumi moved to thrust his sword toward his stomach but Xander deflected the hit with one of his own. Too slow.

Xander took a step back but Takumi could read a small fraction of mirth on his face. “Are you forgetting you’re in Nohr, Prince Takumi?”

Takumi gritted his teeth. He was _well aware_ of where he currently was. It wasn’t his fault that Nohrian weaponry differed in all the wrong areas. The katana was made to slice through with ease, while Nohrian blades demanded more force to accomplish anything. Speed versus power - except all these weapons sucked at speed in his hands. He looked down towards Xander’s legs. If he wasn’t fast enough for his chest…

Takumi rushed forward, feinting a strike to the left. Xander moved with ease out of the way before aiming to retaliate himself, and Takumi leaned down into the opening. Adjusting momentum was a bit more difficult like this but he managed to graze against the side of Xander’s calf before he twisted out of range. Contact - but still not good enough.

“Anything else you’d like to say?” Takumi snarked, adjusting back onto the balls of his feet.

Xander shook his head but if anything he still looked like he was enjoying himself. “No. Your balance however-” He darted forward, faster than Takumi was expecting, and even as he held his sword to his chest to protect him Xander still struck him back with ease. “-is going to be an issue.”

Takumi stumbled as he tried to regain his footing, huffing a bit. It wasn’t like he was wrong - that didn’t mean Takumi had to give in so easily.

An actual laugh came from Xander. Takumi glanced up in surprise at the sound but before he could speak Xander continued. “Keep your feet flat. Holding your weight more center will help when you swing.”

“I know how to use a sword,” Takumi mumbled. It was true he had used a shortsword so little he could count the times on one hand, but being reprimanded was making him feel almost like a child again.  He could and _would_ work this out on his own.

“In Hoshido, yes. To be quite honest, I have a feeling I would fare far worse if a proper katana was in your hand,” Xander said. “Your brother was difficult to spar with, and you hold many of the same skills. Bow or sword I would be in for a tough match.”

Takumi bit his cheek. At this point he was sure to gnaw a wound on top of the countless others he made before. “I don’t want your pitiful praise.”

Xander shot him a surprised look. “There is no pity, simply facts. Another being how, despite all your skill, this is not Hoshido and you wield a shortsword in your hand instead.” He brushed a few wayward curls from his face. “You are, however, free to see how long your old techniques will survive here.”

Takumi scrunched his face up at that. Was Xander actually _taunting_ him? Resolution grew in his mind as he squared himself up. He may not be the best swordsman, but he could prove he wasn’t some apprentice in need of teaching.

“Lift up your sword and we’ll see how _long_ they last,” Takumi said, no genuine malice in his tone but still filled with hard determination.

Xander’s eyes stayed trained and focused on him. “I look forward to seeing it.”

Takumi waited for Xander to make the first strike. He liked to keep himself guarded and closed - hard for any loose jabs or strikes to sneak in. This was the king of Nohr that Takumi was handling after all. Still, the taller they are the harder they fall, right?

Takumi stepped back with each slash Xander sent his way. He kept his footsteps light and breezy, never lingering too long in one spot. Back and forth he let Xander try to hit him while Takumi only threw out a few feints here and there. No, he would have to wait. If there was anything he gained from archery and hunting, it was patience.

Still, fatigue wasn’t something that would come easily to Xander, and Takumi knew he would be a fool to wait on that. No, he would have to strike before then. What he was waiting for was _balance_.

Xander made sure to keep himself square footed in all his motions, strong and powerful but firm in his stance. Takumi knew he wouldn’t have the brute strength to best him, but he wouldn’t need that if momentum worked with him. Xander struck left and Takumi dodged right, before bouncing forward before Xander could straighten himself.

Katanas were agile blades, made for sharp and quick movements and razor thin slices. You didn’t need so much weight that you couldn't turn on a dime if needed like Nohrian blades. No, with Nohrian weapons you needed to commit, and have your shield at the ready for any other danger.

Xander had no such shield. Takumi slammed into the side of him, shoving Xander through his motions as Takumi raised his sword to land a blow against him. Let him topple and claim a disarmament. However, despite all of Takumi’s agility, he was still thrown off by Xander’s own quick reflexes. A hand grabbed his sword arm before it could strike and Xander pulled Takumi to the ground with him, letting them both slam onto the hard dirt.

Takumi let out a stuttered cough as he rolled away from him onto his back. He could hear Xander give out a very quick groan as he caught his own breath. Okay, so, maybe his plan didn’t go perfectly. This was still an improvement.

“I must admit,” Xander said. “I’m a bit surprised at the weight you carry.”

Takumi sat up at that, closing his eyes as he let the vertigo pass. Hitting the ground still sucked, success or not. “And what does that mean?”

Xander shook his head. “I mean no offense. Simply your small stature left me… underestimating I suppose. A mistake on my own part.” Takumi could see a small smile out of the corner of his eye and Xander pushed himself up. “I’ll have to avoid making that mistake in the future.”

Takumi focused on that smile for a moment before turning his head away. “Whatever. It was half luck anyway. I’d have to try a lot harder to topple you point blank.”

“I don’t think there’s many who can do that to begin with,” Xander said, moving to his feet. He turned and lent a hand down for Takumi to take. “I wouldn’t sell your own actions so short though. You are quick with a blade, even one you aren’t used to - it’s a wonder why you don’t use one more often.”

Takumi was positive he would have to break his painful habit before his developed anymore callouses in his mouth. In the back of his mind he heard his mother chiding him when he was young, dabbing at the blood on his lips.

He brushed the offered hand away but after a moment a short smile came to his own face. “I’m at my best with a bow in my hand for a reason. It is- nice though to work with a sword from time to time.”

Which was the case. When it came to training with Hinata, Takumi had no qualms about sparring with him. He did _enjoy_ swordplay but… Bitter emotions formed in the back of his mind. There was no point in him brandishing one. No matter the reassurances and rationale he said to himself, there was always no point.

Besides, in the end, Takumi wasn’t sure if he could truly part with the Fujin Yumi. Even when riddled with anxiety and doubt he never felt more assured when summoning that bowstring. His mother trained him as a marksman and he was going to keep it that way.

Takumi pushed himself to his feet and brushed off his clothes. He fiddled with the edge of his shirt sleeve. “Hm, I hope none of these threads tore. Oboro will be furious…”

Xander peered at him. “I think they look fine, if a bit dirty.”

“Yeah, I can see that part.” Takumi gave Xander a quick once-over. He was a little pleased to see his clothes seemed a bit more dusted than his own. “They’ll live, I suppose.”

Xander nodded. “Indeed. This was- pleasant, Prince Takumi.”

Takumi couldn’t lie and say he thought any different. Jabs and minor taunts aside, sparring with someone else felt _good._ The itch in his hands had long since passed.

Besides… Takumi stole a glance towards Xander. It was also nice to see a bit more under the constant guard Xander held. The air between them felt almost… companionable like this.

Hesitance lingered in the back of his mind but Takumi gave a firm nod. “Yeah. Perhaps we’ll have to do a round two sometime.”

“I would enjoy that,” Xander said. “Truly... I’ve always found that sparring speaks better than actual words. Although perhaps that is just the case for me.”

“It certainly says something,” Takumi mumbled, stretching and sighing as his muscles tensed and relaxed.

He had heard similar things from Hinata and Oboro before. How sparring spoke in a way you couldn’t get across otherwise. If he was being honest, Takumi didn’t get it. He attributed it to his more solo preference of weapon but he didn’t see this hidden communication.

It made him wonder what Xander heard from him when Takumi swung his sword.

“Well, I think we should head back,” Xander said. “It is starting to get quite late.”

Takumi looked up at the full night sky, stars glittering up above. “Hm, I guess you’re right…”

“Besides, I doubt you’ll want to sleep in tomorrow,” Xander said.

“Hm?” Takumi asked, looking at him. “Do I have something planned tomorrow?” More wedding prep popped into his mind and he could feel exhaustion already hitting him.

Xander gave him a blank look before something akin to realization flashed over his face. “Oh- my apologies. I might have confused a few things.” Xander gave him a brief wave before turning and leaving to put his sword away, but Takumi swore he caught a glimpse of a smile. “Sleep well, Prince Takumi.”

“Hey-!” Takumi called after him but Xander had already disappeared inside. What exactly was he trying to hide from him?

Takumi huffed but pushed it aside for the moment. He had a feeling he would be useless to try and get it out of Xander now. Shaking his head, Takumi followed after him in silence. He was starting to get a bit tired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did minimal research on sword fighting and sword types and we will not discuss this issue any further I already regret it. If it made coherent sense than that's good enough for me.
> 
> Follow me on my [tumblr](https://ariphyll.tumblr.com/) or my more active [twitter](https://twitter.com/ariphyll)!


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